HAMMOND – After years of maintenance and carpentry work, one might expect John Juscik, of the Hessville neighborhood, to be taking it easy during his retirement years. While he could have chosen any number of hobbies, today you can often find him in the basement of his home cutting and sanding wood to make crosses to share with others.
Juscik worked at Community Hospital in Munster as a facility manager for 24 years. During his time there, he had an assistant named Howard. They would discuss various topics from time to time, including religion. One day, the assistant mentioned that he noticed him praying, such as before eating, but expressed that he personally did not believe in God.
About six months after Juscik retired, he received a call that Howard, who had taken over for him at the hospital, had fallen ill. With his prognosis not good, Juscik went to visit him.
“He holds my hand, and he says, ‘You know what, John, I was wrong. I believe in God,’ and when he did that, I just broke down,” he recalled.
Five days later, Howard passed away. That was the motivation behind Juscik’s desire to make crosses. And he has been busy making them ever since – over 5,000 crosses to date.
Juscik always enjoyed working with his hands and making items from wood. He originally began turning out a variety of wooden bowls. A friend pointed out to him that a local cabinet shop was disposing of its extra materials, so Juscik spoke with the owner and received permission to take what was left over. That gave him access to oak, maple and walnut.
As the knowledge of what Juscik was doing spread, other friends who worked for a fencing company were able to contribute some supplies for his hobby.
Juscik’s passion for making the crosses grew, and he asked his pastor, Father Charles Mosely of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, if the parish could use them. Father Mosely felt it was a great idea to have them available, so Juscik originally put together 200 for the parishioners and visitors of the Hammond church.
“Father puts them out for the people, and they'd come to church for the Good Friday services and all the Latin services and take them,” he said. “I kept giving them more and more. They use them up over there.”
In addition to his home parish, Juscik has delivered crosses to St. John Bosco, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and The Shrine of Christ’s Passion. He also makes them available at Boric Religious Supply in St. John.
“Chris is the manager there. When I went there, I told him the little 3-inch crosses are free,” Juscik shared. “He said to me, ‘We've never had anybody come into my store here and say that it is free.’ I told him, ‘Well, that's what I do. I make them, and give them out for free.”
Having no plans to stop his craft anytime soon, Juscik stated that as long as he has his health, he will continue to do it.
Juscik doesn’t just make the crosses during Lent, but all year round. He typically makes 100 to 150 crosses at a time, using wood planks that are 5 to 6 feet long and cutting them into 3-by-8 inch pieces. He then glues them together, sands them smooth and drills a hole at the end to add an eyelet.
“I enjoy it. It's a relaxing thing for me, and I take it very seriously,” he said. “If I could make anybody understand that this is what God did for all of us – that he died on the cross – I want to be that person. I want to put that feeling in their hearts.”
Juscik hopes the crosses provide inspiration and serve as a reminder of what Jesus did for mankind. He believes there are so many spiritual lessons that can come from reflecting on a cross. He said, “And if you really put it in your heart, you see what Jesus did for us.”
“He died on that cross for us to help make us all better people,” he continued.
On several occasions, Juscik has heard about the impact the crosses have made. He recalled one lady, who bought several larger ones at a craft show, later told him, “You don’t know what that cross did for me. My husband was dying of cancer, and he took it and kissed it. You don't know what that has done for me spiritually.”
Juscik’s own spirituality started with his parents. As he was growing up, he recalls his family praying the Rosary every day. He went on to attend Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond and spent three years in the seminary discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
Juscik said simply that his faith just kept growing over the years, and it is what “keeps me going” at age 87.
He has been married to his wife Christine for 63 years, and they have four children: Jeff, Debbie, Marianne and Michael.
